Just one thing.
There is just one thing in this city, you will notice without delay.
No it’s not the nonsense traffic, as you rush across the way.
It’s not the smell of baozi, like a perfect wake up call,
Fallowed by the tofu scent, never failing to appall.
It’s not the constant stares as you walk upon the street,
Not the dirt that’s all around and everywhere you place your feet.
It’s not the clang and chatter of the active city night
Or mashed potato cravings, that you just cant seem to fight.
It’s not even the long undying heat
Not the fun KTV beat
No.
Of all the changes you will notice, I’ve narrowed it down to one.
See, if you look to the sky in this city, you’ll find there is no sun.

There is something that caught my attention the very moment I landed here in my city. When I took to the sky, no matter how hard or far I looked, I could not for the life of me, find the sun. That’s not to say that it is dark or cold here, it’s actually quite hot! It’s just that because of all the smog in the air right now, the sky is a vast expanse of white emptiness. And so, even though I was standing in the presence of millions of people, with hundreds of cars and bikes passing by, and building after building which stretched higher even than my imagination could soar, the city felt empty. A thought suddenly overcame me. “Where is the sun? Where is the source?” But no matter how hard I looked, it was nowhere to be found. “There is no sun in this city,” I thought to myself. These words sunk deep into my heart, and as they raced and weaved their way through my mind, God spoke in such brokenhearted passion, too clear and desperate to ever forget: So it is with them, with every student you pass each day. So it is with their hearts. They are empty. They are polluted by the world, nearly suffocated by the daily pressures, and poisoned by insecurity. They see nothing, believe nothing, but they feel something. Empty. Yes, so it is with their hearts, there is no sun. Until now.

I never knew that this was home until I landed here two weeks ago. There have been so many adventures, even just in these few early days, and though I would love to share them all with you, it may take more years than you have to spare 🙂 Still, if I could, in any way, allow you to experience what it is like to be here in Asia and be God’s hands and feet, then I cannot leave this one thing out: their eyes. What I see when I sit across from a young Asian student and look them in the eyes as I share both my story and God’s, is unlike anything I have, and will ever, see in my life. It is desperation. To look someone in the eyes and tell them the answer to their emptiness, the answer to their brokenness, the answer to their pain, I am convinced that there is no greater sight. It is as though I could see the hope rising in their eyes as they begin to believe they are loved, believe they are known, believe they are wanted, and believe they are His. For the very first time, they have hope, and they believe.